educator and expat wellness through movement, mindset, and audacity

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stress

I first learned how to numb when my mom became ill and was hospitalized when I was 13. She went to the hospital and we went into survival mode—part of which involved numbing things to the “not-going-to-consume-me-with-raging-fire-of-the-miserable-unfairness-of-it-all” level. So, while my mom was in the hospital, my dad, two siblings, and I watched TV. Like a lot of it. Anything to forget and…

I haven’t worked out in 6 weeks. I’ve been traveling in northern Thailand, repatriating from South Korea to Colorado, working on home improvement projects for my parents, and spending tons of time with family, friends, and my beautiful Colorado mountains. So, when I walked in to my first CrossFit class four days ago, I was ready to get a good sweat…

It’s ok to be a party-pooper. For reals. After several months of saying yes to, legit, everything in my first expat experience in Seoul, I had to learn the next big lesson: saying no. (A lesson I continue to work on refining in my life four years later.) Upon arriving in a new country and home, it’s of the utmost importance…

Let’s get real for a quick minute. Teaching is hard. Being an expat is hard. These are worlds that challenge who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Teachers and expats are extraordinary people doing inspiring things. They are brave. They are smart. They are resourceful. They are high-achievers. They are goal-setters. Here’s what I’ve learned in…

Seriously?! I just clearly laid out the directions. They’re on the board. We did a comprehension check. We’re five minutes into work time and they’re giggling and pointing at their computer screens. WTF?! Why aren’t they doing what I said? I remember in my first few years of teaching, having a constant stream of frustration sprinkled with swear words running through my…

To My (ex)Love, How do I begin? I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been avoiding you for a few weeks. It’s true, I ignore you in social settings. I haven’t brought you home with me. I haven’t even touched you in days. The air between us has been wrought with tension, unfulfilled longing, unearthed wrongs, and unspoken broken promises. I know…